The Elector made no reply, but looked down with moody resentment upon the
Electoral Prince, who still knelt before him.

"My much-loved, gracious father," cried the Prince, "I once more beg your
pardon, and pray you kindly to forget if I have hitherto often given you
ground for annoyance, and have not appeared here immediately on your first
command. I see my error, and I promise, my dear, kind father, that I have
returned home as a penitent, affectionate son, as an obedient subject,
whose earnest endeavor shall be to deserve the forgiveness and good
opinion of his lord and father, and to live wholly and solely in
subjection to his will. Only bid me welcome, too, my most revered sir;
bestow upon your son one word of welcome and fatherly love."

The Prince glanced so tenderly at his father, there lay so much feeling in
his handsome, expressive countenance, that the Elector could not resist
him, but, in spite of himself, felt his heart stirred by tenderness and
emotion. He bowed down to him, a rare smile lit up his face, and he was
just opening his lips to greet his son with words of friendliness and
love, when the shrieking and shouting down in the pleasure garden, which
had ceased for some time (probably because their exhausted throats
required rest), burst forth again with redoubled violence.

"Away with the Catholics! Down with Schwarzenberg! Long live the Electoral
Prince. Down with Schwarzenberg!" came up with thundering impetuosity.

The friendly words died upon the Elector's lips, and the short sunshine of
his smile vanished under a cloud of displeasure.

"It seems, sir," he said, "as if your arrival were a real jubilee for the